Thousands offer Eid prayers at Srinagar’s Hazratbal shrine
The biggest congregational Eid prayers in Kashmir was held at Dargah Hazratbal in Srinagar while authorities didn’t allow Eid prayers at City’s grand Mosque, Jamia Masjid, Srinagar, and places Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house arrest.
The biggest congregational Eid prayers in Kashmir was held at Dargah Hazratbal in Srinagar while authorities didn’t allow Eid prayers at City’s grand Mosque, Jamia Masjid, Srinagar, and places Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house arrest.
Thousands of worshippers on Saturday offered Eid- ul-Adha prayers at Dargah Hazratbal where J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah, NC president Farooq Abdullah and the PDP president Mehbooba Mufti also offered Eid prayers. Elaborate security arrangements were made across Kashmir for peaceful eid prayers. However, authorities didn’t allow people to offer prayers at the city’s Grand Mosque Jamia Masjid in the old city and the main entrance of the mosque was kept locked. This was the seventh consecutive year when Eid prayers were disallowed at the Jamia Masjid.
“Eid Mubarak! Yet again, Kashmir wakes up to the sad reality: no Eid prayers at Eidgah, and Jama Masjid locked down — for the 7th straight year. I too have been detained at my home. In a Muslim-majority region, Muslims are deprived of their fundamental right to pray — even on their most important religious occasion celebrated across the world,” Mirwaiz Umar Farooq wrote on X.
J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah said he prayed for peaceful J&K on the occasion of Eid ul Zuha...”I hope this Eid will bring peace and brotherhood for people of J&K,” he said. Abdullah, however, termed it unfortunate that Eid nimaz wasn’t allowed at Jamia Masjid. “I don’t know on what grounds this decision was taken.” The chief minister said that after the killing of tourists in Pahalgam, the same people protested against the killings. We need to trust our own people,” he told reporters after offering Eid prayers.
Former chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said that J&K is the only Muslim majority state in the country and still the historical Jamia Masjid was locked.
Mufti said, “If everything is fine in J&K then why was Mirwaiz Umar Farooq placed under house arrest. I don’t know why our elected government is watching this silently.”
Big congregational Eid prayers were held across the Valley and the situation remained peaceful. At many places police distributed sweets among the worshippers.
Meanwhile, J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha greeted people on the occasion of Eid ul Zuha.
“Greetings on the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Zuha. Let’s reiterate our resolve to strengthen the foundations of unity, harmony & brotherhood and work with love and compassion for the well-being of all. May this festival spread peace & bring prosperity to all,” LG said in a message.
